Railroad-rail joint



(No Model.) 7

H. P. STEARNS. RAILROAD RAIL JOINT.

Patented May 23, 1893.

H v Inventor:

Tu: mums PETERS c0 vrlo-ruu'mo WA ammo" u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT P. STEARNS, OF BYRON, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,834, dated May 23,1893.

Application filed January 19,1893- Serial No. 458,959. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT P. STEARNs,a citizen of the United States,residing at Byron, in the county of Ogle and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Rails, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to form the meeting ends of railroadrails with recesses within which are placed fiat springs the centerportions of which project above the upper face of the rail so that thewheels are raised above the ends of the rails at their junction therebypreventing the pounding of the ends of the rails.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is an isometrical representationof the ends of two rails provided with myimprovements. Fig. 2,is asimilar view in which the springs have been removed. Fig. 3,is anisometrical representation of the springs removed from the rails.

The usual manner of connecting the ends of railroad rails is by theemployment of fishplates and bed plates, which are designed to hold therails rigid, but even such devices do not prevent the wheels of the carsfrom battering the ends of the rails until it becomes necessary to cutoff a section of the ends of the rails. My improvements are designed toovercome these difliculties.

In the drawings the rails 1, are of the usual construction joinedtogether by the fish-plates 2. The upper surfaces of the rails at theirends are provided with a recess 3, extending lengthwise of the rail asection 4, of the recess stopping short of the end and having an upwardincline. Holes 5, are drilled transversely through the rail near theends of the recess. Bars 6, of spring material and rectangular in formare formed curving being highest near the center of their length, andhaving the under side of one end 7, beveled upward, and provided withholes 8 at the square end thereof. These bars are secured in position inthe recess by bolts 9, passing through the holes 8 thereof and throughholes 5, in the rails so that when the ends of the rails are broughttogether the beveled end of the spring will lie upon the incline 4, ofthe adjoining rail. The fish-plates are then placed in position and heldin place by the usual bolts. The beveled ends of the springs stop shortof the upper end of the incline as shown at Fig. 1,which will allow thespring tolengthen when the pressure of the train is brought to bear uponthem without raising the free end of the spring above the level of theupper face of the rail. The springs form a connection between the railsupon which the wheels rails thereby saving the usual battering of theirends. By the employment of these springs the train will ride verysmoothlyover the joining of the rails and owing to the ends of thesprings which are secured within the recess extending farther along therail than their free ends an easy and smooth approach is formed.

I claim as my invention--- 1. A railroad rail provided with arecess inits upper face at the end thereof, and a spring secured within saidrecess.

2. A railroad rail provided with a recess in its upper face at the endthereof, and aspring secured within said recess and havingits free endlying in a recess formed in the end of the adjacent rail.

3. A railroad rail provided with a recess in its upper face at the endthereof, the end of a portion of the recess being upwardly beveled,

and a spring secured in the recess having its 8 5 free end beveled andlying upon the incline of the adjacent rail.

HERBERT P. STE ARNS.

Vitnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, E. BEHEL.

